AV Research
Audioholics tech articles are well researched and chock full of great detail on how products and technologies operate. Our staff of electrical and acoustical engineers, combined with industry expert guest writers ensures you're getting a true AV education when researching all topics from HDTV, cables, room acoustics, loudspeakers, amplifiers and all things related to audio and video technologies.

Auro 3D Downmixes into Bankruptcy, Still Keeping Height Channels Up
Auro 3D has recently declared bankruptcy. But is the the end for this immersive surround format? Can it survive on upmixing only? Don't count the audio company from Antwerp, Belgium out just yet.

MIT Researchers Develop Paper-Thin Loudspeaker That Can Mount to ANY Surface
A Research team at MIT has developed a thin, flexible loudspeaker that can be mounted to any rigid surface (such as a wall), turning it into a high-quality audio source. Learn about the applications.

Is Qualcomm’s New ‘aptX Lossless’ Technology The Holy Grail of Bluetooth?
Qualcomm Technologies announced the first truly lossless Bluetooth audio codec. aptX Lossless can deliver CD-quality audio with zero loss of information. Will audiophiles finally embrace Bluetooth?

Personal Psychoacoustics: A Journey towards Great Sound & Product Development
There have been a lot of articles on psychoacoustics and the relative audibility of various acoustic phenomena. This is a personal journey towards great sound and product development.

Netflix Is Now Streaming High-Quality AV1 Video to Select Smart TVs and Game Consoles
Netflix is streaming content via a new, more efficient video codec called AV1 which can deliver higher video quality at any given bitrate than previous codecs. Will this become the new standard?

Audyssey Unveils an Upgrade to Room Calibration With MultiEQ-X
Audyssey announced the MultEQ-X PC based room correction software that works as an add-on to the MultEQ system already embedded in many AVR's. What kind of features can we expect from MultiEQ-X? Read on.

HDMI 2.1 Compliance Certification Is An Incomprehensible Swamp Of Confusion
The HDMI Licensing Admin says that new HDMI devices can be granted “HDMI 2.1 compliant” status even if they don’t support any of the features associated with the HDMI 2.1 standard. Confused? Read on.

10 Loudspeakers Trends That Should End
In this article, we go over ten things that we would like to see change within the loudspeaker industry. Read on to find out what speaker companies are doing that bugs us so much!

10 Audio Myths Debunked For Better Sound
We tackle some of the less obvious but more resilient audio myths that seem to linger despite numerous attempts at correction. We debunk the audiophile myths to help prioritize your hifi needs.

Audio Codecs Explained for Non-Audiophiles
WAV, FLAC, MP3, MQA, what is the best audio CODEC to handle your audio files? Audioholics has put together a guide explaining these extensions and what they mean in terms of sound quality and storage.

Tidal Adds Millions Of MQA Tracks From Warner Music Group
Tidal’s library of MQA-encoded music has just grown significantly. Millions of new tracks have been added from Warner Music Group’s extensive catalog. Is MQA really better or just a gimmick? Read on.

Apple Music Lossless & Dolby Atmos: How YOU Can Enjoy Every Bit of Resolution!
Apple Music is now lossless for its entire catalogue with separate libraries streaming at high-resolution and Apple’s new Spatial Audio by Dolby Atmos. We discuss how to get the best sound.

FTC May Kill Amplifier Rule: Help Us Keep Consumer Protections in Audio!
Your country needs YOU to help protect consumers from false advertising in audio. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reviewing its "Amplifier Rule", help maintain truth in amplifier ratings today!

Polk, Definitive Technology First Speakers to Qualify IMAX Enhanced Certification
DTS and IMAX are extending their IMAX Enhanced certification to loudspeakers so consumers will know which speakers will get them closer to that IMAX experience at home. See what brands are first.

Receiver Power Consumption Rating vs Output Power Is Not Watt You Think!
Ever wonder how your favorite manufacturer rates power consumption on their AV receivers and how it relates to maximum available output power to your speakers? The answer may surprise you so read on.

Audiophile Myths About Amplifier Negative Feedback Debunked
What is feedback and how does it affect audio? Here we present a pseudo-interview to help answer questions about feedback; a fascinating and complex topic that lies at the core of successful design.

Tidal Delivers True Dolby Atmos Music To Your Home Theater
Subscribers to Tidal’s $20/month HiFi tier can now stream Dolby Atmos Music to their Atmos-capable AV receivers or sound-bars, bringing immersive music into their home theaters. but there are caveats.

Dolby Eliminates Key Feature for Enhancing 2CH Music
When Dolby released Atmos, it was done in concert with their surround upmixer which does a great job enhancing 2CH music thanks to a key feature Dolby is now removing from new products. Let's get it back!

HDMI 2.1 - Everything You Need to Know Explained
HDMI 2.1 becomes a reality with the latest gaming platforms while also promising improve audio and video quality through eARC. Find out the new audio & video features and cable requirements for HDMI 2.1.

Is Too Much Amplifier Negative Feedback Bad?
Some audiophiles believe too much negative feedback will diminish sound quality in amplifiers while others believe no feedback is even better. Is this true or an audio myth needing to be busted?

Is This The End For LCD? Samsung Dumps LCD For New Quantum Dot OLED TVs
Longtime LCD champion Samsung is ceasing production of LCD panels, and starting to build its own custom version of OLED TVs that will utilize quantum dot technology. Read on to learn more.

Is Synergy In Audio Cables Real or Snake Oil?
PS Audio recently announced a partnership with Audioquest cables citing that their products have a real "synergy" together. Is there any merit this synergistic effect claim or is it pure marketing BS?

Sound United Brings Roon Compatibility to 68 Denon and Marantz Products
Sound United LLC announced that 68 Denon and Marantz products received Roon Tested accreditation. Want to know what Roon is and why Sound United is all in? Read on to find out.

What the Apollo Masters Fire Really Means for Vinyl
The vinyl record industry may experience shortages of new releases after the plant that made some 75% of the world’s blank lacquers burned to the ground. What does this mean for future pressings?

Sealed is Not Acoustic Suspension in Loudspeakers
Some vented speakers offer port plugs for sealing the cabinet and making them act like sealed speakers. This does not result in a true acoustic suspension. What's the difference? Read on to find out.

Predictions of Dolby Atmos Success or Failure Five Years Later
5 Years ago Audioholics made some predictions about Dolby Atmos. Today we look at how Atmos has panned out and what predictions were right and what was also wrong. Read on to see how we did.